Periosteal and tooth elevating extraction forceps



D. REITER April 17, 1962 PERIOSTEAL AND TOOTH ELEVATING EXTRACTION FORCEPS Filed Jan. 11, 1960 United States thee a 3,029,514 Patented Apr. 17, 1962 The present invention is directed to devices, such as dental forceps, and more particularly to a device for facilitating the extraction of teeth.

At the present time, the dental forceps consist of a pair of jaws so shaped as to be able to grip a tooth to be extracted. Then the dentist must exert great force in the usual case to extract the tooth, resulting usually in damage to the surrounding tissue and often in fracture of the tooth. It has been proposed to overcome such difliculties by pivoting a plate on one jaw of the forceps to press against the gum, but this only accentuated the injury to the tissues. In another proposed forceps a series of toggle links connected one of the jaws to one of the handles; this enabled the dentist to more firmly grip the tooth with greater pressure and less applied force, but it increased the danger of fracturing the tooth without decreasing the injuries to the surrounding tissues.

The present invention is intended and adapted to overcome the deficiencies of prior dental forceps, it being among the objects thereof to provide a dental forceps which will also function as a periosteal elevator.

It is also among the objects of the invention to provide a forceps which avoids mutilation or traumatization of the free margin of the gums and periosteum.

It is further among the objects of the invention to provide such a structure of forceps as will eliminate the danger of fracturing teeth, reduce the necessary effort on the part of the dentist, and reduce the anxiety and pain of the patient.

In practicing the invention, there is provided a forceps of generally the usual structure having a pair of jaws pivoted together and having handles or hand grips extending beyond the pivot. On the outer face of each jaw is an inclined track or slideway in which is mounted an elevator, the forward end of which narrows to a point. At the rear of each handle is a pivoted hollow extension. A bar or spring, usually flat, has one end attached to the rear of each elevator and passing along the adjacent handle into and terminating in said extension. Usually the handle is grooved, the spring being held in said groove, or the handle may be hollow and the spring passes through the hollow portion.

The invention is more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts, and in which- FIG. 1 is a plan view of a dental forceps showing the incorporation of the present invention therein;

FIG. 2 is a side view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 7 is an elevation view of the forceps showing it in position for the extraction of a tooth.

With reference to the drawing, the forceps consists of a pair of bodies land 2 pivoted together by stub shaft 3. At the forward end of said body 1 is an integrally formed jaw 4 and extending rearwardly from body 1 is an integrally formed handle 5. Similarly, an integral jaw 6 is formed at the forward end of body 2 with an integral handle 7 rearwardly of said body 2.

In jaw 6 and on the outer face thereof is a slideway or keyway 6' on which is slidably mounted elevator 8 having a pointed fiat tip 9 which, in inoperative position, lies at the tip of jaw 6. Similarly, a slideway on the outer face of jaw 4 has an elevator 10, the tip 11 thereof extending to the tip of the jaw. At the rear of elevator 8 is a pin 12 with the end of spring 13 engaging the pin and pivoted thereon. At the rear of elevator 10 is' a pin 14 engaged by the end of spring 15. Said springs 13 and 15 are preferably flat and relatively stiff. Rear portions 16 and 17 of the springs pass through slots 18 and 19 in handles 5 and 7, respectively.

At the open rear ends of handles 5 and 7 are curved extensions 20 and 21 pivoted at 22 and 23, respectively. They have hollow portions 24 and 25, respectively, with closed ends 26 and 27. When the forceps are in closed position the rear ends of springs 16 and 17 do not contact ends 26 and 27 but spaces 28 and 29 remain.

In the operation of the forceps, the operator grasps handles 5 and 7 in the hand 30, opens the forceps and permits springs 16 and 17 to move until practically in contact with closed ends 26 and 27. The forceps, as shown in FIG. 7 are closed over a tooth 31 to be extracted. Then the hand is slipped down the handles to cover extensions 20 and 21, as shown at 32. By pressing on said extensions, springs 16 and 17 are forced forward by contact with closed ends 26 and 27, causing forward movement of elevators 8 and 10, so that tips 9 and 11 thereof push between the surface of tooth 31 and gum 33, loosening the adherence. At the same time, tips 9 and 11 push against the jaw bone and tend to lift the tooth from its socket. Then the tooth may be extracted with less difiiculty than with the conventional forceps and with less discomfort to the patient.

There are numerous advantages in the present forceps. Elevators 8 and 10 slide readily with no additional effort on the part of the operator and the device eliminates the necessity of using a conventional elevator in addition to a forceps. The lifting action loosens and frees the tooth from its bony attachments and fracturing of teeth during extraction is practically eliminated. Much less effort is required of the operator and there is less anxiety on the part of the patient. The time of the extraction is decreased.

Although the invention has been described setting forth a single specific embodiment thereof, various changes in the details of thestructure may be made without departing from the principles herein set forth. For instance, springs 16 and 17 need not be flat, but may have other cross-sections. They need not be made of spring metal as very little spring action is necessary. The springs may be rods or bars, and they may run alongside the handles instead of passing through them. Other provision may be made for shifting the elevators into operative position on the tooth. The use of the forceps is not confined to tooth extraction, and the device may be applied to such uses as pliers, nail removers, in plumbing operations and other fields of use.

I claim:

1. In a dental forceps or the like comprising a pair of jaws pivoted together, handles integral with said jaws and extending rearwardly beyond the pivot for said jaws, the improvement which comprises an elevator slidably mounted on the outer face of both of said jaws, each of said elevators extending to a point adjacent to the tip of its jaw, a connection from each of said elevators extending to the rear of the handle of the other jaw, a relatively movable extension extending from the rear of each of said handles, said connections terminating in said extensions,

said extensions being so connected to said handles that the handles may be manipulated without actuating said elevators beyond the tip of their respective jaws.

2. A dental forceps according to claim 1 characterized in that a slideway in the outer face of each of said jaws guides each of said elevators.

3. A dental forceps according to claim 1 characterized in that each of said connections is pivoted to the end of its handle.

4. A dental forceps according to claim 1 characterized in that said connections are flat springs.

5. A dental forceps according to claim 1 characterized in that said connections pass through their respective handles.

6. A dental forceps or the like comprising a pair of jaws pivoted together, handles integral with said jaws and extending rearwardly beyond the pivot for said jaws, an elevator slidably mounted on the outer face of each jaw and extending to a point adjacent to the tip of said jaw, means on the rear end of each of said handles attached to the elevator on the jaw of the other handle independently of said handles to move said elevator beyond the tip of said jaw, extensions on said handles pivoted thereto, said means being adapted to be operated by movement of said extensions, flat springs extending from said extensions and fixed to said elevators, said springs passing longitudinally through said handles, said extensions being hollow, the free ends of said springs terminating therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,060,242 Feldman Apr. 29, 1913 2,302,265 Seagrave Nov. 17, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 213,281 Germany Jan. 23, 1909 122,217 Australia May 13, 1944 

